Dear McAuley Families

It is with great pride (and some trepidation!) that I have been checking in on Year 12 as they begin their HSC Trial Exams in the College Hall this week.

For many, this is a reality check as they embrace the processes and events required by NESA and education authorities. Sadly, it is not much different process from my HSC days in the showground pavilion in Cowra almost 43 years ago!

It is exciting to note that these young people are on the brink of launching off on adulthood, study, work and careers. I know that they will hold close to their hearts our Mercy Values, our McAuley “Way” and the very special culture that we work to promote and sustain here at the College.

I refer you to the excellent HSC Co-works website “Your Guide to the HSC Trials 2025.” It includes valuable advice for students, along with a hepful '40 Days Out' Instagram series featuring daily coach tips.

These 3 tasks are an excellent guide to preparing for exam “reality” for our Year 11 and 12 students…

1. Practice questions without your notes. Do a short sample quiz daily without notes then go back and check.
2. Work on active recall. Use flashcards, notes, formulas and definitions. Make sure you can recall them easily.
3. Write practice questions to unseen essay questions under exam conditions. Practice answering past questions in the time allowed.
4. Hand write over and over… get your mind and body into condition.

Whilst we have some focus on our ATAR students I also send best wishes to our students who are embracing other pathways into the world. There are many local firms and employers that are keen to hire McAuley students, and I receive many calls and referee checks from these people. Be sure to check in with local firms and companies as you never know who is recruiting and for what!

Congratulations to our Mrs Katie Haley and her husband, Doug on the safe arrival of Annabeth. Mum and bub are doing well, and Katie passes on her thanks to staff and students for their best wishes and messages.

Enrolment offers for places in 2026 are being finalised this week. As usual, we have strong interest in all grade levels at the College but sadly do not have room for all who have applied.  Please keep in contact with the College as time progresses as family movement can sometimes open places.

Our Community Council and Mrs Bathgate are very much looking forward to a fun Trivia Night this Saturday to answer the question “Are You Smarter than a PE Teacher?” (I think we all know the answer to that!) My apologies that I am unable to attend and best wishes for a great social night of fun and competition.

Mary our mother, look after us.

Eamonn Moore

Principal

Monday marked the beginning of the HSC Trial Examinations at McAuley, with our Year 12 students starting strong as they tackled their English paper.

The Trials will continue through until August 18, and during this important period, the entire College community is standing firmly behind our students—offering prayers, encouragement, and unwavering support.

It’s a time to remain focused, care for your wellbeing, and lean on those around you. We know our students will give their best, and we are proud of every step they take on this journey.

On Wednesday, 30 July, we had the privilege of gathering as a College community to celebrate our NAIDOC Week Mass—an important and deeply meaningful event in our annual calendar.

Together on Wiradjuri land, we began with a reflective yarn circle, followed by a powerful smoking ceremony, before entering into a beautiful Mass led by Father Xavier. His words offered thoughtful reflection on the sacred connection between faith, culture and Country, and guided us in prayerful gratitude for the richness and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

We were honoured to welcome staff, students and families from across our catholic school community (St Mary's Primary Batlow, St Joseph's Primary Adelong, and St Patrick's Primary Gundagai) to pray and celebrate with us. We were also delighted to be joined by special guests from Catholic Education, including our new Executive Director, Mr David de Carvalho, and members of the Aboriginal Education Team, Mr Lachie Eveston and Ms Libby Goodsell.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Aunty Sue Bulger for her generous and thoughtful address to our congregation, and to Uncle Lenny Connolly for his guidance and presence during the smoking ceremony. We were especially grateful for his outstanding didgeridoo playing, which added deep cultural significance and reverence to our Mass.

Following the Mass, we proudly hosted a special awards ceremony recognising the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from local Catholic schools. Awards were presented for excellence in academics, the arts, leadership, and sport—each one celebrating the unique gifts, talents and contributions of these young people.

We offer our warmest congratulations to all award recipients. Your achievements are a source of great pride and a reflection of your commitment, identity and leadership within our communities. It was a privilege to honour you as part of this special day.

It was a truly moving and memorable occasion—one that reflects our deep respect for culture, our shared faith, and the strength of our community. We are sincerely grateful to all who joined us and helped bring this important celebration to life.

Grateful thanks to Miss Mason and her team for their careful planning and hard work in preparing such a beautiful celebration.

Community Council Update

Are you smarter than a PE teacher?

We’re almost there! Our McAuley Trivia Night is happening tomorrow, 9 August, at the Tumut Golf Club, and it’s shaping up to be a relaxed and entertaining evening for our school community.

• Tickets still available via the Primary or Secondary Campus Offices during school hours or at the door on the night.
• Each table will enjoy a complimentary platter, with additional drinks and food available for purchase at the venue.
• Our Dessert Auction will featuring some delicious creations kindly donated by local businesses including Two Tarts and Whisk & Dish - a fun (and tasty) way to support our school. Treats are limited so come prepared to place your bids!
• A Courtesy Bus will be available through the Golf Club—please call ahead to book if needed.
• Bring along a few coins to join in the fun and raise some funds! 

It’s set to be a great night of trivia, connection, and community spirit. We hope to see you there!

Father’s Day Stall – Friday 5 September

With our Father’s Day Stall around the corner, we’d love your help!
If you have any small gift items you'd like to contribute, now’s a great time to start thinking about donations.

Ideas include: Keyrings; Stubby holders; Socks; Insulated coffee cups or travel mugs; Car air fresheners; Mini tool sets or screwdrivers; BBQ rubs or spice mixes; Chocolates or lollies; BBQ tools; Caps or beanies; Desk gadgets; Mini LED torches; Gardening gloves; Bundled small items – socks + chocolate or mug + hot chocolate sachet.

Whether it's something practical or fun, all contributions are very much appreciated and help make the stall a success for our students.

Donations will be accepted by the Primary Campus Office from next Monday 11 August 2025.

Want to Get Involved with the Community Council?

The Community Council is a network of parents and staff who work with the Principal to lead school fundraising and build a strong, inclusive community. Whether through ongoing help or supporting a single event, every contribution makes a difference.

Email: mcauleycatholiccollegetumut.scc@gmail.com or reach out to our executive team:  Chairperson Vy Proos; Deputy Chairperson Kim Markey; Treasurer Melanie Pearce; Secretary Alyson Forsyth. 

For more information find the School Community Council Charter via the school website:  https://mcauleytumut.nsw.edu.au/policies-and-publications.

Or come along to our next meeting! 5:00pm 14 August 2025.

As McAuley Catholic College prepares for our 'Bullying - No Way' week, and following recent staff discussions about our school's involvement in the fantastic 'Resilience Project', Robyn and I reflected on how we, as parents, have responded over the years when our children shared their struggles with unhappiness at school. As parents, few things are more heartbreaking than watching your child struggle with social exclusion, the challenge of finding their place, or experiencing bullying. While physical bullying and name-calling are relatively straightforward to identify, indirect or relational bullying can be much more difficult to detect—yet equally damaging to a child's wellbeing.

The following excerpt from a Do It For Dolly article provides valuable guidance for parents on how to respond effectively and supportively when their child faces these challenges.

How to help your child cope

If you think your child might be experiencing indirect bullying, here are some ways to support them.

Create a safe space to talk - Let your child know you’re there for them, without judgement. Use open-ended questions like: “How have things been going with your friends lately?” “Is anything or anyone making you feel uncomfortable at school?”

Why it works: Feeling heard and supported helps your child feel less alone. It also builds trust, making it easier for them to open up in future. 

Validate their feelings - It’s important not to downplay what they’re going through. Avoid saying things like “Just ignore it” or “It’s just drama.” Try saying: “That sounds really hard.” “You don’t deserve to be treated that way.” 

Why it works: Validation reassures your child that their feelings are real and that you take them seriously.

To read the article in full or for more great tips, head to https://www.dollysdream.org.au/ or if you or someone you know needs support, contact Dolly’s Dream Support Line on 0488 881 033 to speak with a qualified counsellor.

Ms Kirsty Roche & Mrs Robyn Ryan
Pastoral Care Coordinators 

Year 12 with their 'Bullying - No Way' sign ready for next week

We’re proud to share that Mrs Lucy Pearce, one of our outstanding PDHPE teachers, was recently featured on The PDHPE & CAFS Podcast with Kelly Bell, hosted by The Learning Network.

In this episode, Mrs Pearce shared her expertise and insights into the new Stage 6 Health & Movement Science course, offering valuable perspectives for educators across the state.

Being invited to contribute to such a highly regarded professional platform is a wonderful recognition of her expertise, dedication, and passion for teaching. We’re incredibly fortunate to have such an inspiring educator as part of our College community.

You can listen to the episode here.

Congratulations to all students who took part in the WR Public Speaking Finals this week. A special shoutout to our three McAuly representatives Billy, Alfie and Emmett—we are incredibly proud of you all!

Well done to Billy Bathgate (Year 5) and Alfie Carney (Year 6), who were awarded Runner Up in their respective divisions.

What a fantastic achievement—well done to all involved!

Last week marked our first in the new library, and it’s already become a much-loved space for students to learn, read, and explore.

We extend a heartfelt thank you to Ms Place and the library team for their incredible work in creating such a warm and inspiring environment. From cosy reading corners to shelves full of exciting new books, the space invites curiosity and imagination at every turn.

It’s been a wonderful start, and we’re excited to see our students continue to enjoy all the opportunities this beautiful new space has to offer.

Can you believe Kindergarten have already been at school for 100 days? In that time, they’ve grown to be big, clever, and kind—and we feel so lucky to have them as part of our school community.

To celebrate this milestone, our Kinder students enjoyed cupcakes and 100s and 1000s biscuits, rolled dice all the way to 100, crafted their very own ‘100’ sunglasses… and discovered just how old their teachers have become in that time!

What a joyful day celebrating 100 days of learning, laughter and growing together.

McAuley was proudly represented at the Brumbies High School 7s Championship in Canberra this week, with our Year 7–10 students showing great determination, teamwork, and sportsmanship throughout the day.

• The Year 9/10 boys finished 6th overall
• The Year 7/8 girls placed 5th
• The Year 7/8 boys had a strong performance, finishing in 3rd place

It was a fantastic day of rugby with minimal injuries, excellent team spirit, and plenty of smiles. Congratulations to all students involved—you did McAuley proud!

Our Year 9 musicians have been exploring a wide range of instruments—from glockenspiels to guitars—while learning to play iconic pieces from mega musicals like The Sound of Music, all the way to legendary groups such as The Beatles. It’s been a musical journey through genres, eras and styles!

Year 8 students are also looking forward to an exciting trip in October to see the stage musical Back to the Future with Ms Dawson and Miss Mason—a true blast from the past that ties in perfectly with their classroom learning!

And let’s not forget our enthusiastic Year 7 musicians, who have been mastering the ukulele and steadily building their confidence and skills in music.

It’s been a term full of creativity, performance and plenty of toe-tapping fun!

Our students in Textiles have been busy developing their practical skills as they work on creating their very own decorative pillows. Along the way, they’ve been learning to sew, crochet, and knit—with plenty of creativity on display!

Even Mr Ryan couldn’t resist getting involved, joining the students as they stitched their way through the lesson. It’s been a fun and hands-on experience as students gain confidence and discover the satisfaction of making something from scratch.

Last week, our Year 12 students had the fantastic opportunity to engage with James Barton from the University of Wollongong to gain insights into early entry, accommodation, scholarships, and life at university.

With many students currently preparing their early entry applications, the session was perfectly timed. James shared practical advice and helpful tips on how to maximise their chances of success and take full advantage of the opportunities available to them.

We extend our sincere thanks to James and the University of Wollongong for their continued support of our students and their post-school pathways.

Last week, our K–6 students were treated to an unforgettable visit from Starr's Planetarium, bringing the wonders of the night sky right into our school.

Inside a giant inflatable dome set up in the hall, students explored stars, constellations, and the magic of space—all without leaving the ground!

Thank you to Starr's Planetarium for an engaging and inspiring experience that encouraged our students to reach for the stars.

Our Stage 1 students had a fantastic day out on Wednesday on their excursion to Wagga. They arrived safely at the Botanic Gardens, where they enjoyed an early lunch and some time to play in the sunshine.

From there, it was off to the Civic Theatre to watch Josephine Wants to Dance—a much-loved story brought to life on stage.

There were lots of excited faces, plenty of laughter, and a wonderful day of learning and fun.

A big thank you to all staff and helpers who made the day so special!

Our Year 2 students have been having a fantastic time in Science, combining creativity, design, and a whole lot of fun as they explore forces and motion by creating their very own mini golf courses.

From planning layouts and designing tricky obstacles to testing angles and adjusting their techniques, students have been fully immersed in this hands-on learning experience. Not only did they build their courses from scratch using everyday materials, but they also had the chance to play on each other’s creations—putting their problem-solving skills (and patience!) to the test.

It’s been wonderful to see such enthusiasm and teamwork as students learn through play, discovery, and a few holes-in-one!

This week, our creative Year 3 students took on a fun and hands-on maths challenge—calculating the perimeter of their own names!

Using rulers and grid paper, students measured each letter and added up the sides to determine the total perimeter. It was a great way to apply mathematical thinking in a personal and engaging way.

There were plenty of “my brain hurts!” moments, but also lots of smiles, teamwork, and a real sense of achievement. Well done, Year 3!

This term, Year 10 Science students have been exploring the fascinating world of motion, investigating concepts such as speed, distance, and time.

To bring these theories to life, students engaged in hands-on experiments using Hot Wheels cars on tracks of their own design. Each group carefully measured distances, used timers to calculate speeds, and compared how different track types—such as straight runs and ramps—affected the cars' motion.

The activity not only deepened students’ understanding of key physics concepts, but also encouraged critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork in a fun and engaging way. It was a fantastic example of how learning can be both practical and exciting.

Mrs Kinny says—stay curious!

WEEK 1 

WEEK 2